Spring-bolster mounting.



S. A. THRELKELD.

SPRING BOLSTEB. MOUNTING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1914.

Patented Mar; 9, 1915.

J i \u fiventoz' THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, n. C.

STEPHEN A. THRELKELD, F CHARITON, IOWA.

SPRING-BOLSTER MOUNTING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Application filed May 25, 1914. Serial No. 840,938.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN A. THREL- KELD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chariton, in the county of Lucas and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Spring-Bolster Mounting, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means for suitably mounting a spring bolster on the rear axle of a wagon or the like, the parts being of simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

More particularly it is my object to provide such a bolster and means for mounting the same, so arranged as to secure the maximum benefit of the spring and minimum tilting of the bolster and a distribution of the load whereby such load is carried at the outer ends of the axle.

My invention consists in certain details, in the construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows a rear elevation of a bolster and means for mounting the same on an axle, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows a central, vertical, sectional view, through the parts shown in Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawing I have used the reference numeral to indicate the ordinary large, heavy, wooden axle of a lumber wagon or the like. Resting upon the axle 10, and spaced apart from each other on each side of the middle of said axle, are ordinary hounds 11. Resting upon the central portion of the axle 10 is the reach 12. Above the axle and spaced therefrom is a bolster 13, comprising a downwardly opening channel bar. Supported upon each end of the bolster 13 is an upright standard 14:, comprising the outwardly opening channel bar having at its lower end a notch, resting upon the upper surface of the member-13, shoulders 15 resting upon said upper surface, and downwardly extending portions 16, between which the bolster 13 is received. Resting upon the hounds 11, above the bolster 10, is a transverse plate 17, the central portion of which rests upon the reach 12. The ends of the plate 17 are secured to the hounds 11 and to the axle 10 by means of bolts 18. Resting upon the central portion of the plate 17 is the lower central portion of a leaf spring 19, which is secured to the plate 17 by means of bolts 20. The ends of the spring 19 extend upwardly and outwardly from the central portion thereof to the outer ends of the bolster 13 which are supported by the ends of said spring. The ends of the spring 19 are bent over to form elongated hook members 21 which receive bolts hereinafter mentioned.

In the ordinary construction of wagons, the bolster rests directly on the hounds, above the axle. It is very desirable in many vehicles of this kind to have the rear bolster supported by a spring. When, however, the leaf spring is used there are several problems which must be solved before the construction is successful. In the first place, it is desirable that the bolster should be supported near its ends in order to reduce the tilting thereof to a minimum. This is done bv placing the spring in the position shown in the figures with its upper end extending upwardly and outwardly from its center and supporting the outer ends of the bolster. It is also necessary that the central lower portion of the spring shall have a comparatively long support. It is therefore necessary to place above the hounds some sort of a supporting plate. Such a plate is also necessary for the purpose of distributing the weight and placing it nearer the ends of the axle rather than at the center as would be the case if the spring were raised directly upon the axle or upon the reach. If a solid block were used and notches cut therein to receive the hounds and the reach, the weight would be imposed upon the center of the axle rather than at the ends near the wheels and such a result is highly undesirable in a wagon designed for carrying heavy loads. Where a comparatively light plate 17 is used, it is found that there is considerable likelihood of imposing such a great weight at the points where the leaves of the spring begin to extend upwardly and outwardly away from the plate 17, that the plate 17 is likely to be bent down or broken. At any rate, by far the greater weight is placed on the points 25 and the strain thereon is very great. If a plate 17, strong enough to support the weight imposed at the points 25, is used, such a plate is too thick at all points except the points 25 and requires the carrying of considerable more weight than should be necessary. To overcome this difficulty I employ a plate 17, having formed on its lower surface, preferably near its side edges, downwardly extending flanges 22, which are provided with central notches to receive the reach 12 and are tapered from their thickest portions adjacent to said notches upwardly and outwardly, as shown in the figures. These flanges, while they add comparatively little to the weight of the plate 17 add enough to its strength to prevent the breaking of the said plate at or near the points 25. By the construction just described therefore, I am able to support the bolster at its ends, thereby eliminating the tendency to tilt and I change the Weight of the load from the middle of the axle to the outer ends thereof by the use of the plate 17, of comparatively light weight but provided with the flanges 22.

In order to further prevent undue tilting of the bolster under exceptional conditions, I have provided at each end of the bolster an upwardly opening, U shaped limiting device 23, receiving betweenits sides'at its lower end the axle 10. The upper ends of each limiting device 23 receive between them the members 16 and the bolster, as shown in Fig. l. The single bolt 26 is extended through both the upper ends of the member 23, both of the members 16 and the sides of the bolster 13 and the loop 21, as shown in the figures. Each of the members 23 is provided with a plurality of holes 24:, to selectively receive the bolt 26, when the devices 23 are to be adapted for use on wagons of different sizes.

It will be seen that by the construction just described, the members are secured together in a simple manner, with a minimum of expense for operations in assembling and without bolts, screws or the like.

It will be understood that some changes may be made in the details of the construction of my device without departing from its essential features, and it is my intention to cover by this application any such changes in construction which may be included within the scope of the following claims:

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination of an axle and spaced hounds resting thereon, a bolster, a leaf spring arranged between the axle and the bolster with its ends supporting the bolster, a plate having its ends resting on said ,hounds above the axle and supporting at its middle the central downwardly extending ,portion of the spring, and downwardly ex- Copies of this patent may be obtained for tending flanges on said plate, tapering from their central portion toward their outer por- I tions.

2. The .combinationzof an axle and spaced hounds thereon, a reach resting upon said axle between said hounds, a bolster, a leafa spring arranged between the axle and the bolster with. its ends supporting the bolster,

a plate having, its ends resting on said hounds above the axle and supportlngat its middle the central downwardly extending,

a plate having its ends resting onsaid.

hounds above the axle and supporting at its middle the central downwardly extending portion of the spring, and downwardly extending flanges on said plate, tapering from ster and adapted to engage the axle and to limit the upward movement of the respective ends of the bolster with relation to the respective ends of the axle.

l. In a device of the class described, the combination of an axle with spaced hounds resting thereon, a reach resting on said axle between said hounds, a plate resting upon said hounds and secured thereto and tosaid axle, said plate being provided with downwardly extending flanges having central notches to receive the reaclnand being tapered from the reach to the outer ends, a spring having its lower central portion resting upon and secured to said plate, a downwardly opening,-channel shaped bolster having its ends supported by the-ends of said spring, upright standards on the ends of said bolster having bifurcated ends receiving said bolster, U. shaped keeper devices having said axle received between their lower ends, and having the bifurcated ends of the respective standards and said bolster received between their upper free ends, and bolts extended through said keeper devices, said bifurcated ends and said bolster at each end of the latter.

Des Moines, Iowa, May 8, 191 1.

STEPHEN A. THRELKELD.

Witnesses M. WALLACE, S. Roicmsoivfive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 0.

.85 their central toward their outer portions, and means secured to the endsof' the bol-. 

